The present invention relates to a baby carrier for carrying a baby while holding the baby therein.
This applicant has proposed a baby carrier in which a baby can be carried in an upright or "up-down" (vertical) position, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-150051. As shown in present FIGS. 23 and 24, the know baby carrier has a carrier body 72 in which a front portion 73, a crotch portion 74 and a back portion 75 are integrally formed.
Downwardly extending shoulder belts 76, 76' are provided at the front portion 73. Buckles 77, 77' are attached to the tips of the shoulder belts 76, 76'. On the top portion of the shoulder belts 76, 76' there are provided D-shaped ring members 80, 80' and belt members 91, 91'. Cover-equipped buckles 90, 90' are attached to the tips of the belt members 91, 91'.
Buckles 78, 78', which can be engaged with the buckles 77, 77', are connected to the sides of the front portion 74 via belt members 79, 79'. Hook members 81, 81', which can be engaged with the ring members 80, 80', are provided on the top of the back portion 75. In the back portion 75, buckles 92, 92', which can be engaged with the buckles 90, 90', are located via belt members 79, 79'.
In order to assemble the baby carrier 70, first, the shoulder belts 76, 76' are placed on both shoulders of the person who will carry the baby, called "the baby nursing person" herein, and the buckles 77, 77' at the bottom ends of the shoulder belts 76, 76' are engaged with the buckles 78, 78' on the sides of the belt members 79, 79'.
Next, the person holds the baby and lifts up the back portion 75 of the baby carrier 70 with one arm, and the baby is cradled into the back portion 75. Then, as shown in FIG. 25, the hook members 81, 81' are engaged with the ring members 80, 80'. The buckles 90, 90' are engaged with the buckles 92, 92'. Thereby, the baby carrier 70 is assembled and the baby is supported in the baby carrier 70.
As mentioned above, in the assembly of the conventional baby carrier, the nursing person must engage the hook members and ring members as well as the cover-equipped buckles and other buckles, and the assembly work is tedious. In addition, since the assembly of the baby carrier must be performed with a baby supported therein the work load of the baby nursing person is rather heavy.
On the other hand, "a side-supporting-type of baby carrier" is also generally used. In this baby carrier a baby of an early age is supported in a horizontal lying position. A typical side-supporting baby carrier is classified into a net type , shown in FIGS. 26, 27, and an integral carrier type, shown in FIGS. 28, 29.
As show in FIG. 26, the net type baby carrier is comprised of an expandable net portion 101 for supporting the body of a baby, a head rest portion 102 for supporting the head of the baby, shoulder belts 103 for a nursing person, and a support belt 104 for sustaining the head rest portion 102 from its back.
To utilize this baby carrier, first, the net portion 101 is placed on the front side of the nursing person and the belt 103 is placed at an angle onto the shoulder of the person. Next, as shown in FIG. 27, the baby is placed inside the net portion 101 and the net portion 101 is spread out to wrap the entire body of the baby.
In this case, the entire body of the baby is covered with the net portion 101 such that the baby can be firmly supported in the baby carrier 100, but the baby is supported with its back bent or curved because the net portion 101 is composed of expandable members. Therefore, it is not preferable for the baby's healthy skeletal growth.
As shown in FIG. 28, the integral carrier type baby carrier is comprised of a carrier body 151 where a headrest portion 152 and a back portion 153 are integrally formed, and shoulder belts 154, 155, which will be placed on a baby nursing person's shoulders.
To utilize this baby carrier 150, the buckles of the shoulder belts 154, 155 are first connected and then the shoulder belts 154, 155 are placed at an angle onto the nursing person's shoulder. Next, as shown in FIG. 29, the baby is placed on the carrier body 151.
In this case, since the back of the baby is supported by the flat carrier body 151, the baby can be supported in the carrier 150 with its back stretched. But, the baby is simply placed in the carrier body 151. The baby may fall off and down from the carrier body 151 when the nursing person bends down. In addition, the headrest portion 152, integrally formed with the back portion 153, is only an extension of the back portion 103 and the head of the baby is simply placed on the headrest portion 152. Therefore, the head of the baby of an early age cannot be supported in a stable manner.
Furthermore, the baby carrier shown in FIGS. 30-33 is conventionally used as a side-supporting and an up/down-supporting baby carrier. These figures show the same baby carrier and it can be used either as a side-supporting baby carrier with the baby lying horizontally as shown in FIGS. 30, 32, or an up/down-supporting baby carrier with the baby supported in a vertical upright position as shown in FIGS. 31, 33, by switching the belt connection placement.
This baby carrier 200 has a carrier body 201 where a headrest portion 202 and a back portion 203 for supporting the baby's head and back, respectively, are integrally formed . Belts A-G are attached to the carrier body 201.
When the baby carrier 200 is used for side supporting of the baby, as shown in FIG. 30, the tip of the belt C is engaged with the belt A via a fastener and the buckle at the tip of the belt G is connected to the buckle at the tip of the belt F. Next, the buckle at the tip of the belt A is connected to the buckle at the tip of the belt D to compose the shoulder belt 204.
In this condition, the baby is placed on the carrier body 201 and the shoulder belt 204 is placed at an angle onto one shoulder of the nursing person (see FIG. 32). Next, the belt E is wound around the hip of the nursing person and the buckle at the tip of the belt E is connected to the buckle at the tip of the belt B to compose the waist belt 205 for holding the carrier body 201 on the hip of the nursing person.
On the other hand, when the baby carrier 200 is used for up/down supporting of the baby, as shown in FIG. 31, the tip of the belt G is engaged with the belt A via a fastener and the buckle at the tip of the belt A is connected to the buckle at the tip of the belt D to compose the shoulder belt 204'.
Next, with the baby placed on the carrier body 201, the buckles of the belts B and C are connected together for holding the baby on the carrier body 201. In this condition, the shoulder belt 204' is placed at an angle onto one shoulder of the nursing person (see FIG. 33). Then, the belt E is wound around the nursing person' hip and the buckle at the tip of the belt E is connected to the buckle at the tip of the belt F to compose the waist belt 205' for holding the carrier body 201 on the hip of the nursing person.
As mentioned above, the conventional baby carrier is used either for side supporting or up/down supporting by changing the fastening conditions of the multiple belts, but the belt switching operation between side supporting and up/down supporting is very complex. Furthermore, when the baby is supported sideways, as shown in FIGS. 32, the baby is simply placed on the carrier body 201. Therefore, the baby may fall down when the nursing person bends down.